Wall Street Week Ahead: Market braces for inflation data, tech earnings, geopolitical updates
On the economic front, the spotlight centers on the Federal Reserve’s favored inflation metric — the core PCE price index
As a holiday¬-shortened week approaches on Wall Street, market participants are shifting their focus toward critical inflation metrics and highly anticipated corporate earnings from the technology arena.
The US equity trading will be closed on Monday, May 25, for Memorial Day.
On the economic front, the spotlight centers on the Federal Reserve’s favored inflation metric — the core PCE price index.
Investors will also heavily scrutinize additional indicators, including April's new home sales data, the updated first-quarter GDP reading, and personal income and expenditure metrics for April.
Concurrently, the corporate earnings slate features quarterly results from major firms such as Marvell Technology, Salesforce, Costco, Dell Technologies, and Snowflake. Market players are eager for clues regarding consumer demand and the scale of artificial intelligence expenditures.
According to the latest Goldman Sachs Hedge Fund Trend Monitor, international fund managers aggressively boosted their allocations toward AI-centric corporations entering the second quarter of 2026, primarily benefiting AI infrastructure and chip manufacturing enterprises.
Additionally, investors remain highly sensitive to geopolitical updates out of the Middle East given persisting Iran-US frictions.
Amid ongoing diplomatic peace talks between Washington and Tehran, US President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that Washington intends to avoid rushing into a deal with Iran to achieve a comprehensive resolution regarding West Asia crisis. He affirmed that the American naval blockade on Iran's ports will remain firmly active until a certified, formal pact is finalized.
Trump described ongoing diplomatic communications as organized and productive.
Furthermore, market participants will track Meta Platforms’ May 27 investors’ conference for insights into shareholder distributions and AI investments. Additionally, leadership from Applied Materials and Nvidia are expected to speak at the event.
US Economic Calendar
May 25 (Monday), Memorial Day holiday
May 26 (Tuesday), separate reports on S&P Case-Shiller home price index (20 cities) and consumer confidence for May will be declared.,
May 27 (Wednesday), None scheduled
May 28 (Thursday), separate reports on initial jobless claims for the week ended May 23, durable goods orders for April, and new home sales for April will be released.
May 29 (Friday), separate reports on revised gross domestic product (GDP) for Q1, personal income and spending for April, PCE index April, and Chicago Business Barometer (PMI) May will be released.
Earnings
Following companies are due to report quarter results in the week ahead — Zscaler, Marvell Technology, Salesforce, Snowflake, HP, Costco, and Dell Technologies.
US Stock Market Last Week
The US stock market closed higher on Friday on optimism about the potential US-Iran peace deal.
On Friday, the S&P 500 rose 27.75 points, or 0.4%, to 7,473.47. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 294.04 points, or 0.6%, to 50,579.70. The Nasdaq Composite rose 50.87 points, or 0.2%, to 26,343.97.
The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 25.77 points, or 0.9% to 2,869.23.
For the week, the S&P 500 is up 64.97 points, or 0.9%. The Dow is up 1,053.53 points, or 2.1%. The Nasdaq is up 118.83 points, or 0.5%.
About the Author
With a distinguished career spanning nearly two decades at the highest levels of financial journalism, Rajendra Kumar Saxena stands as a cornerstone of the editorial leadership team at Livemint.com. In his current capacity as Content Editor, he is responsible for managing the comprehensive editorial lifecycle of the publication. His role is multifaceted, encompassing the strategic selection of high-impact stories, original reporting, and meticulous editing. <br> Furthermore, Rajendra is instrumental in executing a sophisticated Search Engine Optimization (SEO)-driven content strategy, ensuring that the platform's digital content reaches a global audience while maintaining the highest standards of journalistic integrity and accuracy prior to publication. <br> Rajendra’s professional journey is characterized by a profound expertise in a wide array of critical sectors. His analytical depth covers global economics, commodities, and stock market dynamics (across both Indian and United States landscapes). <br> Beyond the financial markets, he possesses a keen understanding of political affairs, banking and finance, foreign affairs, and the rapidly evolving technology sector. <br> His eighteen years journey in financial and business journalism includes a significant tenure at Financialexpress.com and freelance contributions to The Hindu. <br> Currently based in Delhi, Rajendra holds a Master of Journalism degree from the prestigious Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication (MCNUJC). His blend of academic rigor and decades of on-the-ground experience makes him a leading voice in navigating the complexities of today’s financial world.
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